Wheel actuated display toy



June 9, 1953 A, J, CHARLES 2,641,083

WHEEL ACTUATED DISPLAY TOY Filed May 9, 1952 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIHII IN VEN TOR. /fffa `/a/w (Q4/nfs Patented June 9, 1953 WHEEL ACTUATED DISPLAY TOY Alfred John Charles, Denver, Colo.

Application May 9, 1952, Serial No. 286,973

(Cl. lifi-204) 4 Claims.

This invention relates to a childs toy, and has for its principal object the provision of a simple, animated, wheeled toy which may be pulled along the floor, and which will display a plurality of attractive discs rotating in various directions in both horizontal and vertical planes, and to so construct the device that it may be inverted or stood on end or placed in any other position without affecting its operation.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and eiciency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout the description.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of the improved toy as it would appear in use;

Fig. 2 is a cross-section, taken on the line 2 2,A

Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a similar cross-section, taken on the line 3 3, Fig. 1.

The improved toy comprises a flat, rectangular, elongated frame block I8 which is drilled adjacent its forward and rearward extremities to receive a rear axle member I I and a front axle member I2. The axle members are positioned parallel to each other and are rotatably mounted in the block I0. Two front wheels I3 are fixedly mounted on the projecting extremities of the front axle member I2 so that they will rotate in unison as the toy is drawn along the floor. The toy may be provided with any suitable means for drawing or pushing it along 'the floor. As illustrated, it is provided with a screw eye 24 to which a draw cord 25 is attached.

A left rear wheel I4 is xedly mounted on one extremity of the rear axle member I I, and a right rear wheel I5 is xedly mounted on the other extremity of the rear axle I I. A drive pulley I6 is affixed concentrically to the inner face of the rear wheel I5, and an idler pulley I'I is rotatably mounted on the rear axle member II adjacent the rear wheel I4.

A vertical stub shaft I8 is xedly mounted in and extends through the frame block I0, projecting above and below the latter intermediate the two axle members II and I2. Two display discs I9 are rotatably mounted on the projecting extremities of the stub shaft I8 and lie parallel to the upper and lower surfaces, respectively, of the frame block I0.

The display discs I9 are held in place in any desired manner, such as by means of retaining cap members 2U secured on the extremities of the stub shaft I8 by means of suitable attachment screws 2|.

The drive pulley I6 and the idler pulley I'I are both formed with peripheral belt grooves, and the two display discs I9 are provided with similar peripheral, belt-receiving grooves 22. An endless flexible belt 23 is trained about the upper display disc I9, thence rearwardly and forwardly about both of the pulleys I6 and I'I, thence about the lower display disc I9, so that all of the wheels and discs will rotate in unison.

It can be seen that when the cord 25 is drawn upon, al1 four of the wheels I3, I 4I, and I5 will rotate forwardly in unison, and that the upper display disc I9 will rotate in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1 while the lower display disc rotates in the opposite direction. This is true regardless of which side of the toy is uppermost.

Should the child lift the forward portion of the toy from the floor by lifting on the cord, it will not affect the rotation of the various members, and regardless of how roughly the toy is handled by the child, it will always be in an operative position.

The various wheels and display discs may be suitably colored and ornamented to increase the attractiveness of the toy. An economical form of the device may be provided by forming the wheels, discs, and pulleys of wood and forming the axle members from wooden dowel stock. The wheels can then be forced to a force t on the axle members and the stub shaft I8 can be a force fit in the frame block IIJ.

The terms right, left, above, upper, lower," etc., as used herein, are simply for the purpose of describing the drawing. It is to be understood that the device may be completely inverted from the position shown without affecting its appearance or operation.

While a specic form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is to be understood that the same may be varied, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention1 what is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A wheeled toy comprising: a substantially horizontal frame block; a front and rear axle member passing through said frame block in substantially parallel relation; front wheel members mounted on said front axle member; rear wheel members mounted on said rear axle member; a drive pulley mounted on said rear axle member and affixed to one of said rear wheels; an idler pulley mounted on said rear axle member adjacent the other rear wheel and being free to rotate independently of the latter; an upper disc rotatably mounted on the upper surface of said frame block; a lower disc rotatably mounted on the lower surface of said frame block; and an endless belt passing about both of said discs and about both of said pulleys.

2. A wheeledv toy as described in.l claim I having a vertical' shaft member'extending through said frame block intermediate said axle member and projecting upwardly and downwardly therefrom and rotatably supporting said display discs.

3. A wheeled toy as described in claim 2 having 15 1,583,567'

ALFRED J OHN CHARLES.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Becker May 4, 1926 Number 

